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WEEKEND EDITION: NEW ENGLAND BULLNET ON THE AIR  SATURDAY ON 3928 AT 3PM FOR SWAPNET.....No regular flu this winter, imagine that! Washing your hands, wearing masks and kids staying home from school did the trick....Wind chill brings it down to 10 degrees here on the rock.....SpaceX rocket almost has it almost right....Mysterious odor caused by BB pellet stuck in teen's nose for 8 years ....Keep opening up the borders and this is what you will get...Today's Dumbass from Russia....

Foundations of Amateur Radio

Word of the day: software

Every community has its own language. As a member of that community you learn the words, their meaning and their appropriate use. For example, the combination of words "Single Side Band" have a specific meaning inside amateur radio. Outside of radio, those same words are random words with no relationship.

Sometimes a term like "FM" can be heard across many communities with similar understanding, though not identical.

It gets tricky when a word is used widely but doesn't have a common understanding at all. A word like "software" for example.

A question you might hear in amateur radio is: "Can I buy a software defined radio or SDR that has digital modes built-in?"

It's a perfectly reasonable question, the radio runs software, the digital modes are software, so the answer is obvious, right?

What about: "Can the hundred or more computers in my car play Solitaire?"

Aside from the perhaps unexpected fact that your car has computers on board, you most likely know the answer to that. No, since the computers are specialised for different tasks - and if you're driving a Tesla right now, yes, you can play Solitaire, but I'd recommend that you keep your eyes on the road instead.

My point is that not all software is created equal.

The software inside an SDR is essentially doing signal processing, often by several components, each running software, transforming an antenna signal into something, that can be used somewhere else, likely sound.

The applications WSJT-X and fldigi, both software, use a computer running Linux, MacOS or Windows, software, to decode and encode digital modes while providing a way for you to interact with it. Software running on software.

You might well argue that we should be running applications like that directly on our radio and on the face of it that sounds perfectly reasonable, except that to achieve that, you'd also need to build a system to install and update different types of applications, so you could run SSTV, APRS, RTTY, PSK31, FT8 or any of the other hundreds of digital modes and new ones as they are developed.

If you did that, you'd also have to provide a way to manage the operating system, to connect to the Internet and provide security. You'd need to develop a user-interface, perhaps a keyboard and mouse solution, a screen, etc.

Before long you'll have developed a whole computing infrastructure, much like the one we already have in the form of the computer on your desk or the phone in your pocket.

Computers are getting faster and faster every day. This allows for the software on them to become more and more complex. The inter-dependencies are increasing by the second, but that doesn't mean that specialisation isn't useful.

A software defined radio likely has a Field Programmable Gate Array, an FPGA on-board that is great at processing data in streams. It too runs software. Your microwave is running software, as is your television, your smart-watch, your battery charger, the gearbox in your car and your electric tooth brush.

Making a distinction between the various types of software is helpful to understand what is possible and what is not. Being a computer nerd, I must point out that I've only barely scratched the surface of software here, in-case you're curious, microcode, firmware, hardware abstraction, the rabbit hole goes very deep.

Not all software is created equal and every now and then it's a good idea to remember that when you talk about a word in one community, it might mean a completely different thing in another and sometimes the distinction is significant.

As for having an SDR that runs WSPR, no. You can transmit from a computer though, but that's a whole other thing.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB

Amateur Radio Newsline Report
***
WYOMING STUDENTS GET QSO WITH ISS AT LAST

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with the story of a promise fulfilled: In the language of space, Perseverence isn't just the name of a rover on Mars. It's a quality that paid off among students in Wyoming who — after a failed attempt in January — finally got their QSO with the International Space Station. Here's Mike Askins KE5CXP with the details.

MIKE: Students at Wyoming's Newcastle High School were flying high, at least in spirit, on Monday, March 1st. Their amateur radio contact with ISS Commander Mike Hopkins KF5LJG was a success at last, after their first try failed as a result of technical troubles with the U.S. astronauts' radio. With that radio down for repairs, the QSO took place via the Russians' 2-meter rig instead and the students' questions rolled in fast, making the most of their precious 10-minute window for contact. After hearing how bok choy and mustard is grown in space, how astronauts gently toss a football around for amusement and how a microgravity environment can cause fluid in the ears, the students wrapped things up by saying 73.

The contact, accomplished with the help of a multi-point telebridge network, was a triumph for the high school as much as the ARISS program: It marked the first time in the ARISS program's 20-year history, that it has organized a QSO with students in Wyoming.

To hear the QSO, visit the YouTube site that appears in the printed version of this week's script.

DON/ANCHOR: In the meantime, ARISS chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, announced that efforts were under way to identify the issue that caused the radio to fail in January and a team is working with NASA and the European Space Agency on a solution.

**
SPACEWALKING AMATEURS PREP FOR POWER UPGRADE

DON/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, big things have been happening OUTSIDE the ISS, too. Paul Braun WD9GCO picks up the story from here.

PAUL: For two amateur radio operators aboard the International Space Station, it was their moment in the sun. Literally. NASA flight engineers Kate Rubins KG5FYJ and Victor Glover KI5BKC took the first moves toward a power upgrade for the space station, during a seven-hour and four-minute spacewalk to outfit the new solar arrays with modification kits.

If the view for observers was a little more spectacular than usual, consider that Rubins' helmet held a high definition video camera for the first time and was streaming the action live. Videos had been taken previously using a helmet cam, of course, but only with standard definition.

NASA was quick to point out that the present solar arrays on the ISS are working fine but they're degrading and are approaching the end of their useful life. The spacewalk was designed to prepare for the installation of new solar arrays which are expected to be sent to the ISS aboard a SpaceX vehicle starting in June.

Meanwhile, there is still work to be done. NASA officials said that the upgrade is to be completed by Friday March 5th, with Rubins returning accompanied by another amateur radio operator: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi KD5TVP.

**
RF INTERFERENCE REPORTS DRAW RAPID RESPONSE FROM OFCOM

DON/ANCHOR: In the UK, the telecommunications regulator recently delivered a rapid response to a report of radio interference – but this wasn't exactly an amateur radio crisis. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains.

JEREMY: It took barely a half-hour as Ofcom, the telecommunications regulator in the UK, responded swiftly to an urgent report of widespread RF interference, calling it a high priority case. Even the local police got involved and awaited the arrival of a spectrum engineer dispatched from Ofcom's Spectrum Management Centre, which operates around the clock.

The crisis at hand wasn't jammed signals reported by radio operators but the failure of shoppers at a Hertfordshire superstore to use their key fobs to unlock their vehicles in the car park. Because the key fobs use radio spectrum at very low power they are subject to interference issues the same as other radio equipment.

Using his spectrum analyser, the engineer was unable to pinpoint the source of the interference, which could have been simply lightbulbs or a malfunctioning doorbell. The situation had already resolved itself by the time he arrived.

Hams in the UK should report any and all interference to Ofcom, via the web address given in the text version of this report at arnewsline.org.... even if their vehicle's key fob is working fine.

**
THOUSANDS OF QSOS MADE TO HONOR DISCOVERY OF PLUTO

DON/ANCHOR: Imagine getting a QSL card from Pluto. Thousands did. Well, OK, it was really the next best thing: a special event station celebrating Pluto. Here's Randy Sly W4XJ with the details.

RANDY: Amateur radio operators from around this world recently celebrated the discovery of another world: Pluto, which was first seen in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. Special event station W7P – with "P" for Pluto – was activated last month by the Northern Arizona DX Association for the Pluto Anniversary Countdown Special Event. There will be an event counting down each of the next 10 years, ending with the centennial year 2030.

This was a particularly special event for Doug Tombaugh N3PDT, nephew of the astronomer who made the discovery. Doug marked the occasion by operating along with three other amateurs as W7P/0, logging 1,191 contacts. He said he especially enjoyed talking with other amateurs who knew his uncle or were involved in other activities related to Pluto.

Countdown coordinator Bob Wertz NF7E said in all 15 amateurs logged more than 7,000 contacts from their home QTHs as well as from a communications trailer on the grounds of Lowell Observatory, where Clyde first made his discovery.

The countdown begins again next year on February 12th – the last Saturday before the February 18th anniversary itself.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Randy Sly, W4XJ.

**
SOLAR PANEL PROMISES MORE STREAMED ENERGY TO EARTH

DON/ANCHOR: Now here's a story that should energize you: A ham radio operator has helped develop a way to bring more of the sun's power home to Earth. Kent Peterson KC0DGY sheds light on this.

KENT: Amateur radio ingenuity has helped lead to the development of a prototype solar panel designed to transmit electricity to Earth from outer space.

Launched in May of 2020 aboard a Pentagon drone, the device is known as the Photovoltaic Direct Current to Radio Frequency Antenna Module, or PRAM for short. Project co-developer Paul Jaffee KJ4IKI said in a recent CNN report that the PRAM underwent a successful test recently by the United States Department of Defense at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

He said the PRAM produces about 10 watts of energy for transmission but could be scaled up, bringing the promise of transmitting energy to the power grids back on Earth. The panel uses the blue waves of light in space which become diffused when entering the Earth's atmosphere. It captures these waves, which are more powerful than sunlight on Earth, and retains that energy.

No, the PRAM hasn't yet sent any of that power back home but scientists say the tests have shown it works. The concept is to beam microwaves to Earth for conversion into electricity wherever it is needed. Paul told CNN that the next move would be to expand its ability to collect even more sunlight to prepare it for that microwave transportation back to Earth.

Team co-leader Chris DePuma told CNN the technology would be especially useful in regions where natural disasters have taken down the power grid.

**
AMATEUR MAKES PLANS FOR 'FLYING HAMS' PODCAST

DON/ANCHOR: If you're one of those amateur radio operators who likes to get on air FROM the air, as a pilot, this next story from Andy Morrison K9AWM might have you in mind.

ANDY: Dan Hileman WO5WO is a ham with a high-flying idea. A former airline pilot-turned-middle school teacher has another project on the runway. He's planning to start a podcast this summer devoted to hams who enjoying being IN the air....as much as they like to be ON the air. He'd like to bring hams on board for ragchews about fly-ins, DX-peditions, FAA flight safety tips, and projects that combine being a pilot and an amateur radio operator. He's especially interested in stories of famous – and not-so-famous – hams in the sky. He told Newsline in an email that the podcast is [quote] "just a fun way to connect already connected hobbies" [endquote] and he can't guarantee there won't be more than a few corny jokes along the way. He said he hopes the half-hour, bi-weekly podcast will inspire youngsters to think about flying and radio as two related hobbies.

He's working with a ham radio friend who's a former Air Force pilot and together they're hoping to, well, get things off the ground. Dan welcomes any and all ideas. You can reach him via email at flyinghams78@gmail.com Who knows what ideas might just take wing?

**
SARL PARTNERSHIP TO ASSIST KENYA'S NEWEST HAMS

DON/ANCHOR: Hams in South Africa are partnering with hams in Kenya to help that nation's newest amateurs. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings us that story.

JIM: The Communication Authority of Kenya has approved a memorandum of understanding that will allow the South African Radio League to assist the Radio Society of Kenya by administering the technical parts of the amateur licence exam. Regulator approval of the agreement was announced in late February. The memorandum outlines how the Kenyan radio society will continue to administer the regulations and operating procedure portions but states that the South African group will conduct online courses for training of the Kenyan amateurs and provide the training manuals and presentation material as well. The arrangement, which had been worked out during the past six months, can now go forward. SARL has similar agreements in place with Namibia and Botswana.

**
AMSAT-DL TRACKS MARS SPACE PROBE

DON/ANCHOR: When it copied signals recently from two space probes near Mars, AMSAT Germany was listening for a special reason. Ed Durrant DD5LP explains.

ED: AMSAT-DL, which has a long-term goal to launch a space probe to Mars, has been listening meanwhile to probes from China and the Emirates that are in orbit around the planet. Using the Bochum Observatory dish at the Sternwarte Bochum Institute, the German AMSAT organisation has copied signals from Tianwen-1 and EMM/Hope, both of which are transmitting on 8.4 GHz. AMSAT-DL makes use of the dish on a regular basis to receive transmission from the NASA/NOAA weather satellites.

Built in 1965 to provide ground support for the Apollo missions, the dish was renovated in 2003 with the help of amateur radio operators who added phase-locked receivers in the 2.3 GHz, 5.8 GHz and 10.4 GHz amateur bands, along with the 8.4 GHz receiver. The dish also has an S-band, 2.4 GHz amateur transmitter with 250 watts PEP output. The dish, which is 20-metres, or 65.6 feet, in diameter, copied signals from Voyager 1 in 2006.

AMSAT Germany's plan for a probe of its own dates to 2002, when preparations began for a way to circle Mars, conduct experiments and leave a payload on the planet's surface. Scientists hope the German P5-A probe will be capable of transmitting on amateur radio frequencies receivable on Earth using a 2- to 3-metre parabolic antenna.

**
HAMS IN BRAZIL CHALLENGE REGULATOR'S LACK OF RESPONSE

DON/ANCHOR: Hams in Brazil have challenged the nation's regulator, saying its lack of response is keeping hams off the air. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has that story.

JEREMY: Brazil's amateur radio society LABRE has told the nation's communications regulator ANATEL that problems communicating with them and their website have been standing in the way of many who wish to operate legally on the ham bands.

In a letter dated the 23rd February, the radio organisation LABRE acknowledged that the recent introduction of online licence testing had eased some of the difficulties in getting on the air but hams are now thwarted by the bureaucracy they face in order to complete the process. The letter cited excessive days waiting and a lack of communication from ANATEL. LABRE said that these difficulties have been reported by newly licensed amateurs as well as those qualifying for upgrades.

In a report of the letter, which appeared on Southgate Amateur Radio News, there had been no immediate response from the Brazilian regulator.

**

OPEN REGISTRATION BEGINS FOR YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP

DON/ANCHOR: It's time to think about amateur radio camp – and the application period is now open for young hams throughout North, Central, and South America. The Youth on the Air camp will take place from July 11th through July 16th at the National Voice of America Museum in West Chester, Ohio and will welcome as many as 30 campers ages 15 through 25. Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the $100 camp fee. The window to apply closes on March 21st at 2359 UTC. For details or to download a brochure visit YouthOnTheAir.org

Organizers will announce in April whether camp needs to be rescheduled in response to COVID-19 restrictions but for now the plans are going forward.

**
NOMINATE A YOUNG HAM FOR NEWSLINE'S AWARD

DON/ANCHOR: Speaking of young hams, we have opened the nomination period for our annual Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year award. Think of a young amateur whose commitment to community and whose enthusiasm for radio has inspired you and others and submit their name. Nominees must 18 or younger living in the United States, its possessions or any Canadian province. Downloadable nomination forms can be found on our website arnewsline.org

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for special event station GB2CR in Scotland until the 18th of March. The special callsign's suffix "CR" stands for "Collins Radio," and the operators will be using vintage valve/tube radio equipment manufactured in the U.S. by Collins. Be listening on 80-10 meters; mostly SSB with some CW. All QSOs will be uploaded to ClubLog.

Be listening for Bill, K9HZ; Kyle, WA4PGM and Dan, W0CN active as J68HZ from a villa in St. Lucia until March 11th. Their activity is usually on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB, FT8 and EME. QSL J68HZ via LoTW, eQSL or direct to K9HZ

Stian LB5SH will be active as JW/LB5SH from the JW5E club station on Spitsbergen Island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. He is expected to be on the air between March 25th and March 28th on various HF bands using SSB and FT8. He will also be in the CQWW WPX SSB Contest on March 27 and 28th using the callsign JW2T. Send QSLs to JW/LB5SH and possibly JW2T via LoTW or ClubLog.

Be listening for Ian, ZS6JSI, who began operating from Benin as ZS6JSI/TY in January and expects to be there for six months. Be listening mostly on 20 meters where he is using FT8. He also operates mobile and can be heard at times on 80/40/20 meters using SSB and

**
KICKER: DOCUMENTING AN OLD BOAT ANCHOR'S SAIL

DON/ANCHOR: If you've ever refurbished an old boat anchor, you know the challenges of adding a piece of history to your shack. No doubt you can relate to this next story about a powerful old Collins boat anchor. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells about a new video that chronicles its rescue and its cross-country journey several years ago.

RALPH: The control room and the Collins 250,000-watt transmitters once used by Voice of America at its Delano Relay Station in California is transmitting history now instead of U.S. government broadcasts that began during World War II into the Pacific Rim and Central and South America. The transmitter, once part of Delano (duh-LAY-no) Relay DL-8, is now part of the permanent exhibit at the Antique Wireless Association Museum in Bloomfield, New York, where its cross-country journey ended almost six years ago with the help of the museum, the Collins Collectors Association and the VOA.

A video moderated by Dennis Kidder W6DQ and recently uploaded by the museum shows the painstaking effort of the team to save the 821A-1 transmitter from the bulldozer headed its way after Voice of America halted its operations there in 2007. The team, working to do disassembly and transport on a tight deadline, consisted of Jim Stitzinger WA3CEX, Bill Cairns N7OTQ, Rod Blocksome N0DAS, CCA president Scott Kerr KE1RR and Vince Baker from the VOA, among others.

This was not just Collins' most powerful transmitter for a shortwave broadcaster; it could also autotune within 20 seconds, helping it successful avoid jammers seeking to silence the U.S. government's messages. Its story, however, remains unsilenced: Visitors have shared its message and its history at the Antique Wireless Museum and now in this 40-minute video uploaded to YouTube in February.

Quantum Receiver Can Detect Huge Swath of the RF Spectrum

March GEO Newsletter available for free download

The March PDF of the GEO Newsletter weather satellite publication produced by the Group for Earth Observation is now available for free download

The Group for Earth Observation's aim is to enable amateur reception of weather and earth imaging satellites that are in orbit or planned for launch in the near future.

Membership of GEO is free.

This edition features:
• A tribute to Francis Bell G7CND, who passed away early in January
• Two articles about iceberg A69a, covering its 3-year journey and encounter with South Georgia
• An introduction to 'NASA Worldview Snapshots' which provides imagery from NOAA 20
• Plus features on the Strait of Hormuz, Lake Turkana and on the SOHO solar observatory

Download the GEO Newsletter from
http://leshamilton.co.uk/GEO/newsletter.htm

Who is that masked man?

A person wearing a TV-shaped mask left old TVs on more than 50 doorsteps in 2019

When residents of Henrico County, Va., woke up on Sunday morning, a number of them were greeted with the sight of vintage television sets sitting on their doorsteps. But it wasn’t until a few of the recipients checked their doorbell cameras that they discovered the mysterious deliverymen made the drops while wearing what looked like old TVs of their own on their heads.

Henrico Police Lieutenant Matt Pecka told WTVR-TV that more than 50 TVs were left at homes throughout the neighborhood by more than one person “wearing a mask resembling a television.”

“We determined there was no credible threat to residents and that this was strictly an inconvenience. It was…unique,” Pecka said, adding that police were able to round up the TVs in just over an hour on Sunday. The county plans to recycle them.

The general sentiment among residents who were gifted with the old box sets seems to be that the nighttime deliveries were part of a prank. Especially considering that the same thing happened in a nearby Glen Allen neighborhood last August.

“Everyone started coming out of their houses, walking around the neighborhood looking at the TVs there on the doorstep,” Jeanne Brooksbank, one of the recipients, told the Washington Post of Sunday’s incident. “It was very Twilight Zone.”

“He wants to be known as the TV Santa Claus, I don’t know,” Jeanne’s husband, Jim Brooksbank, added. “I can’t think of any technology or political point that would be valid here. It’s just a senseless prank.”

https://nowthisnews.com/videos/news/person-leaves-old-tvs-on-50-doorsteps-in-henrico-county-va

DX News from the ARRL

March 5, 2021

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by The Daily DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks
to all.

ZAMBIA, 9J. Bodo, HB9EWU is QRV as 9J2BG while working on a humanitarian mission in the Luapula Province. He is active in his spare time generally on 20 meters. QSL to home call.

OMAN, A4. Operator A41CK will be QRV as A42K as a Single Op/All Band entry in the ARRL International SSB DX contest. QSL via EA5GL.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, A6. Greg, KD5ESG will be QRV as A65HH while on work assignment in Abu Dhabi. QSL via operator's instructions.

SPAIN, EA. Special event stations AM3DIM and AM3YLD will be QRV from March 6 to 12 to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8. QSL via operators' instructions.

CANARY ISLANDS, EA8. Miguel, EA1BP plans to be QRV as ED8W in the ARRL International SSB DX contest as a Single Op/All Band/High Power entry. QSL via EA5GL.

MARTINIQUE, FM. Station FM5BH will be QRV as a Single Op/All Band/High Power entry in the ARRL International SSB DX contest. QSL via W3HNK.

SCOTLAND, GM. Chris, GM3WOJ is QRV with special call sign GB2CR until March 18 to honor the legacy of the Collins Radio Company. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using SSB and some CW. QSL via LoTW.

ECUADOR, HC, Rick, NE8Z is QRV as HC1MD/2 from Santa Elena Province until May 15. Activity is on 40 to 6 meters. QSL via K8LJG.

VATICAN, HV. Look for IK0FVC to be QRV as HV0A in the ARRL International SSB DX contest. QSL via LoTW.

ST. LUCIA, J6. Bill, K9HZ, Dan, W0CN and Kyle, WA4PGM are QRV as J68HZ, J68CN and J68PG, respectively, until March 11. Activity is on the HF bands. They will be active as J68HZ in the ARRL International SSB DX contest. QSL direct to home calls.

PERU, OA. Ed, W9SI plans to be QRV as OA4SS in the ARRL International SSB DX contest as a Single Op/All Band/High Power/Unassisted entry. QSL via KB6J.

CURACAO, PJ2. Don, AF4Z, Vince, K4JC, Dan, N1ZZ and Walt, WB5ZGA are QRV as PJ2/home calls until March 9. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters. They will be active as PJ2T in the ARRL International SSB DX contest. QSL PJ2T via W3HNK and all others to home calls.

BONAIRE, PJ4. Marty, W1MD plans to be QRV as PJ4G in the ARRL International SSB DX contest as a Single Op/Single Band entry on either 20 or 15 meters depending on conditions. QSL via LoTW.

POLAND, SP. Special event stations SN0ZOSP and SN100ZOSP are QRV until February 5, 2022 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Association of the Voluntary Fire Brigades of the Republic of
Poland. QSL SN0ZOSP via SP9ODM and SN100ZOSP via SP9SPJ.

BENIN, TY. Ian, ZS6JSI is QRV as ZS6JSI/TY from Parakou until June. Activity is in his spare time on 80, 40 and 20 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via EC6DX.

EUROPEAN RUSSIA, UA. Special event station R125PR is QRV during March to celebrate Alexander S. Popov's first wireless transmission 125 years ago. QSL via R1AU.

MARSHALL ISLANDS, V7. Paul, KA4WPX is QRV as V7/KA4WPX and V73AX from Kwajalein Atoll, IOTA OC-028. Activity is at various times on 160 to 10 meters, and possibly 6 meters, using CW and SSB. QSL direct.

ASCENSION ISLAND, ZD8. Tev, TA1HZ is QRV as ZD8HZ until mid-April. He plans to be active in the ARRL International SSB DX contest and the upcoming CQ World Wide WPX SSB contest. QSL direct to home call.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO
The ARRL International SSB DX Contest, NCCC RTTY Sprint, QRP 80-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC CW Sprint, K1USN
Slow Speed CW Test, Novice Rig CW Roundup, Wake-Up QRP CW Sprint, Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, UBA Spring CW Contest, NSARA Contest, SARL Hamnet 40-Meter Simulated Emergency SSB Contest and the WAB 3.5 MHz Phone will certainly keep contesters busy this upcoming weekend.

The OK1WC Memorial is scheduled for March 8.

The Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest and RTTYOPS Weeksprint are scheduled for March 9.

The RSGB 80-Meter Club CW Championship, AWA John Rollins Memorial DX CW Contest, VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest, CWops Mini-CWT Test, QRP 40-Meter CW Fox Hunt and Phone Weekly Test/Fray are scheduled for
March 10.

 

THURSDAY EDITION: The Army's new tool for analyzing bomb shrapnel could lead to better body armor ...Here is a radio I would stay away from....If you thought the rising home costs are high in New England, check out this garage in Canada...Do not screw with monkey's....

ARISS, NASA, and ESA Continue to Probe Amateur Radio Problems on ISS

Approaches to Tackle Noise Problems Vary, Remedies Elusive

MARS Volunteers Recognized with Gold-Level President's Volunteer Service Award

BBC Monitoring Service in 1941

In 1941 British Pathe produced a newsreel about the radio monitoring work carried out by the BBC

"Many of you listen in to foreign broadcasts and listening in Britain is free, but when you switch off you needn't worry that what comes in over the air isn't being checked and reported to the right quarter. It is. The BBC has taken on many new jobs in wartime and one of them is to keep a sleepless watch night and day on the broadcasts of the world."

"Every twenty four hours we pick up and record something like 500,00 words, from hundreds of different transmitters, friendly, neutral and enemy in a score of different languages.  This is done by our monitoring service working in close collaboration with government departments."

The newsreel features one of the BBC monitoring huts and shows the National HRO receivers and wax cylinder recorders.

Watch ENGLAND: Monitoring of BBC radio broadcasts (1941)

 

WEDNESDAY EDITION: MRI on the schedule to confirm whether I have a partial or full tear of the rotator cuff and associated muscles. It looks like day surgery is in the near future, could be a lot worse, no complaints here....

Radio station in Antarctica in the good old days...

Moldova Peace Corps to Sponsor March 3 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact

Ofcom speedily respond to report of interference to licence-exempt devices

Ofcom sent an engineer out just 30 minutes after receiving a report of interference to unprotected licence-exempt devices, they say they treated the case as 'high priority'

Ofcom say:

Car key fobs, like lots of other everyday technology, use radio spectrum to operate. On rare occasions, faulty or unauthorised equipment can interfere with nearby technology and prevent it from working properly – such as in the case of these customers’ fobs.

Ofcom’s Spectrum Management Centre, based in Baldock, Hertfordshire, provides a 24-hour service to industry and to members of the public, by monitoring the radio spectrum. This service also allows people to report radio interference.

On Friday 26 February, an officer from Hertfordshire Police contacted us to make us aware of the problems at the supermarket car park.

Due to the nature and scale of the problem, we assigned this as a high priority case, and sent out a local engineer who was soon on the scene to investigate the problem.

Within 30 minutes, our spectrum engineer arrived at the car park to investigate the problem. To do this, we use a spectrum analyser – a piece of equipment which measures the airwaves and detects any radio signal which shouldn’t be there. However, at that particular moment the problem wasn’t actually happening, and customers were able to lock and unlock their vehicles successfully. So, we asked staff at the supermarket to get in touch if any more customers reported further issues over the weekend.

Read the full Ofcom story at
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/spectrum-mystery-leaves-shoppers-stuck-in-car-park

Saint Petersburg special event

Look for special event callsign R125PR from to be active between March 1-31st.
Activity is to honor the world's first radiogram ever sent.

The special callsign was requested by the "Association of Radio Amateurs of St. Petersburg" to commemorate the 125th anniversary of wireless signal transmission demo.

On March 24, 1896, Alexander Popov completed first ever radio transmission at the Russian Physical and Chemical Society of Saint-Petersburg Imperial University. The radiogram consisting of two words "Henrich Herz" transcended a distance of 250 meters. Alexander Popov was present when indescribable exhilaration seized the audience after the words were received, decoded and chalked out on the blackboard. This was the world's first transmission of an intelligible text by wireless telegraphy.

QSL via R1AU.

PJ4G Radio House on the air

Marty, W1MD, will be active as PJ4A from the 'PJ4G Radio House' on Bonaire (SA-006, WLOTA LH-1279) during ARRL DX SSB Contest (March 6-7th) as a Single-Op/Single-Band (20 or 15m) entry.

Outside the contest, Marty will be active as PJ4/W1MD. QSL PJ4A via K4BAI or LoTW.

QSL PJ4/W1MD via his home callsign. Check out the "PJ4G Radio House" at:
http://www.pj4g.com

MY FIRST CELL PHONE- W0RW
A long time ago, before today's cellular telephones they had Mobile Radio Telephones or Car Phones. In most cities there was only one cell (Transmitter Tower) per frequency so that frequencies (Called Channels) had to be shared by all users. That meant there could not be a whole lot of people on each channel. Cellular systems now reuse channels by using directional antenna’s and low antenna elevations sSo more people have access to the spectrum.

Access was very limited then and the service was used mostly by Doctors and Lawyers who could afford the monthly rentals ($420 per month, adjusted for inflation). The Telephone Company really liked those people who got the service and rented the radio telephone equipment. Anyone who wanted to use their own personal equipment was put on a long waiting list.

The FCC, however, made a special provision for people who wanted to use their own equipment, so the Telephone Company had to give service to some of them. When you started this process you had to request an ‘Intent to Provide Service’ letter from your Telephone Company. That could take a year without a Priority Use Category, like being a Doctor. A regular person got the lowest Category 7; Red Cross, Doctors, etc. got Category 1. I had to get a Red Cross authorization letter to qualify. After I got my Letter of Intent from the Telephone Company I had to send it to the FCC to complete my application for a Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service License for my radio. There were also a few application and registration fees that go along with setting it all up. Another year could go by. My license was finally granted, KG6685, in 1963. That allowed me to operate on the Telephone Company frequencies of 43.38 MHz and 157.89 MHz (2 different units). The FCC Called those the “ZM” and “YJ” Channels. (There were 10 – Low Band Channels, 11 VHF Channels, and 6 UHF Channels In 1964). The equipment had to be “Type Accepted”, Tuned and labeled by an FCC Commercial Radio technician, be narrow banded and sometimes using crystal ovens.

I had to send my FCC license back to the Telephone Company with my final application and they then issued me my Telephone Number, like YJ 54321, and ZM 12345, You didn't use your FCC Call Sign.

After that using the phone using the Manual Telephone Service was easy, you would push the PTT and the “Mobile Service Operator” would come on, then you would give her your Phone number. Then you would ask her to call the number of the person you wanted to speak to. She would dial, it would ring, and if answered you would be connected. All that with 30 to 60-mile ranges for only $65 per month in 2020 dollars. (Plus a little extra charge, $2.50 per minute in 2020 dollars, if you exceeded the free 30 minutes of air time per month). The elite users had the Improved Mobile Telephone Service (IMTS), with multiple channels and a ‘Rotary Dial’ control head.

I had 2 Phones in my car so I could say: “Hold on my other phone is ringing’’. I was actually able to rent my ‘Comm Car’ out to an Aerospace Company for some communication links from the Edwards Air Force Base. That helped pay the bills.

My First radio was a Motorola 140D for 43 MHz and a Motorola FHTRU Handi-Talkie for 157 MHz, ¼ watt. It was modified to make it full duplex by jumpering the receiver filaments ‘On’ so the receiver would be ‘On’ during transmit and just using one 17” whip antenna. When you have a full duplex radio on a repeater system like that you can hear yourself so it becomes immediately obvious when you get into a bad location and finding a ‘Hot Spot” gives the system a 4X range. I replaced that radio with a Motorola HT-200, 1Watt, all transistorized Handi-Talkie. It was called the ‘Brick”. It worked on the YJ Channel in almost every city in the USA but I could not make it operate full duplex.

My regular vehicle Radio Telephone had a Western Electric 106A tone decoder, It used a delicate rotary relay to decode the ring-out tones that the Telephone Company used to call you. The AFSK tones were very slow and could easily be decoder by ear. I could decode incoming calls by ear when using my handi-talkies. The Western Electric decoder could blow the auto horn or just display a ‘Call Waiting’ light on the control head. The Mobile Telephone operator would hold on to your call information when you called back. If you wanted to call some mobile unit in a distant city, you had to call your Operator and ask for the Long Distance Operator, Then ask her to call the Mobile Service Operator in that distant city, She would then call the mobile. It really didn’t take very long. There was no nationwide calling, you had to know where your friend was to call him. There were never any robo calls.

When several of the Red Cross mobiles were active at the same time they could all talk Car-to-Car plus one connection to a land line if desired. These were mostly all Amateur Radio Operators using the Public Telephone System for the Red Cross because there was only one VHF AM amateur repeater in the area at that time. For local disaster operations we also used the Red Cross frequency 47.42 MHz.

Generally speaking we were to make disaster assessments, see that a disaster shelter was opened and find the shelter manager. Then make sure that he could communicate with headquarters. After an earthquake in 1970, 20,000 people were evacuated and about to be flooded by a Dam break. The shelter I was at had 1000 people but they had no drinking water. They slept in the gymnasium but every after-shock woke them all up. They had pay phones that were inoperative because they were jammed with quarters.

TUESDAY EDITION: I have an appt. with a surgeon today on my birthday, rotator cuff. I have already had one done so now I will have a matched set....Windy as hell on the island this morning, 60mph guts but we haven't lost power yet.....GET A FREE NEWSLETTER from Rick- KM1G and it's  good one, just send him an email request and you will be on his mailing list,  ka1hbh@gmail.com.

Moldova Peace Corps to Sponsor March 3 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact

WSPR Rowing Atlantic sea!

Maurice f6ciu says: Yes I did it!
Guirec Soudee, after 74 days at sea and over 2,900 nautical miles of rowing, between Canary Isl & Carabbean Isl I finally arrived this Friday February 26th in St Barthélemy.

On board there was an experimental WSPR beacon of less than one watt on 10 Mhz and the antenna a shortened mobil Diamond. the design of F4GOH & F6CIU worked wonderfully throughout the crossing despite two capsizes, antenna and beacon flips being submerged for several minutes.

The experience should be repeated in next summer between Cape Cod USA axis to Brest in Brittany, France.
https://www.guirecsoudee.com/blog
https://hamprojects.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/wspr-beacon/

MONDAY EDITION: One more month of winter, I can't wait to be able to open the windows and smell the ocean...I sold our boat last summer and need to buy another soon. We are looking for a 19-21 foot Whaler style open deck concept boat. I think I will start searching for a boat that has been trailered to fresh water lakes....I never liked golfing....Mr. Potato head survives the left wing pussies....Here is something to think about. What happens when you donate blood now? Is it checked for Covid virus? Is it checked which vaccine was taken?.........

Hacking a transmitter - 1920s style

Back in the 1920s, when electronic breadboading often used a real wood breadboard, swiped from the kitchen in the dark of night, a limited supply of commercial electronic components inspired ham radio hobbyists to roll their own capacitors, inductors, switches, and whatever else was needed to build a transmitter.

Today, Andy Flowers, call sign K0SM, recreates early transmitters using the same techniques and components that were used back in the day, and he uses them on the air.

Andy shows how it's done in this video from the Antique Wireless Museum

Tim Hunkin rides again with The Secret Life Of Components

Long-time readers may remember one of the occasional Engineering Heroes series that focused on the British engineer, inventor and sometime TV presenter Tim Hunkin, known for his intricate creations, unusual arcade machines, and Secret Life Of Machines TV series’ from the years around 1990. It seems we’re now in for a fresh treat as he’s returning to our screens via YouTube with a new series. The Secret Life Of Components will be his attempt to pass on the accumulated knowledge of a long career that most of us would have given our eyeteeth for.

There will be eight videos in the series which launches on the 4th of March, and judging by the snippets in the preview video below the break he’ll be covering a wide range including springs, adhesives, chains, belts, switches, and much more. His entertaining style and beautifully built working models are guaranteed to make for some very good content while giving a unique view into the workshop of a true master of the craft.

As an appetiser it’s worth reading our profile of Tim Hunkin. It features a visit to his Novelty Automation arcade in London’s Holborn, which should be an essential stop for any travelling Hackaday reader finding themselves in that city.
https://hackaday.com/2021/02/28/tim-hunkin-rides-again-with-the-secret-life-of-components/

Spring Red Cross Emergency Communications Drill Set

Radio Emma Toc World Service - schedule

Programme Contents - A look at the value of radio, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, Radio Sweden's 'The Saturday Show', & lots of hellos to listeners, - followed by a 30 minute trial vintage music programme 'The Wireless Years'.

Ways to listen... Radio Emma Toc World Service - programme no. 11 - March 2021
You can listen online - www.emmatoc.com - visit the 'World Service' page.

You can listen to our shortwave or MW or FM broadcasts via our relay partners as follows:

WRMI - Radio Miami International - 9955kHz - covering Latin America (& beyond)
Tues 18:00 EasternTime / 23:00 UTC and Wed 20:00 Eastern Time / 01:00 (Thurs) UTC

WRMI - Radio Miami International - 5950kHz - covering Eastern North America (& far beyond)
Tues 16:00 Eastern Time / 21:00 UTC and Sunday 21:00 EasternTime / 02:00 (Monday) UTC

International Women's Day contest on Monday, March 8

Finland's SRAL reports International Women's Day will be celebrated in the spirit of a relaxed race.
The contest will take place on March 8 from 0000-2359 Finnish Time (2200-2159 GMT)

The contest will be on the HF bands using CW or SSB modes with up to 100 watts output.

The contest rules are at
https://www.sral.fi/2021/02/12/kansainvalinen-naistenpaivan-kilpailu-maanantaina-8-3-2021/

WEEKEND EDITION: Check this out, a map of the world showing all the radio stations and the link are have. You can listen to stations all over the world....How to grow amateur radio video...Quick thinking woman solves the wear a mask problem....Marines to honor the M40 sniper rifle....Take a trip down a bygone era at this new museum in the city, which houses over 100 radio sets, some from as far back as 1907....Space weather woman report...IC-7300 Firmware V1.40 has just been released.  This is quite a big one. The download and release notes are on the Icom Japan website,  along with a release document.  ...Acom talks about their great amplifiers....

Video Documents Removal, Preservation of 250 kW Voice of America Transmitter

Foundations of Amateur Radio

How many hops in a jump?

Amateur radio lives and dies with the ionosphere. It's drilled into you when you get your license, it's talked about endlessly, the sun impacts on it, life is bad when the solar cycle is low and great when it's not. There's sun spots, solar K and A indices, flux, different ionosperic bands and tools online that help you predict what's possible and how likely it is depending on the time of day, the frequency, your location and the curent state of the sun. If that's not enough, the geomagnetic field splits a radio wave in the ionosphere into two separate components, ordinary and extraordinary waves.

All that complexity aside, there's at least one thing we can all agree on. A radio wave can travel from your station, bounce off the ionosphere, come back to earth and do it again. This is known as a hop or a skip. If conditions are right, you can hop all the way around the globe.

I wanted to know how big a hop might be. If you know that it's a certain distance, then you can figure out if you can talk to a particular station or not, because the hop might be on the earth, or it might be in the ionosphere. Simple enough right?

My initial research unearthed the idea that a hop was 4000 km. So, if you were attempting to talk to a station at 2000 km or at 6000 km you couldn't do that with a hop of 4000 km.

If you've been on HF, we both know that's not the case.

If you need proof, which you really should be asking for, you should check out what the propagation looks like for any FT8 station, or any WSPR beacon over time and you'll notice that it's not 4000 km.

Just like the crazy network of interacting parameters associated with propagation, the distance of a hop can vary, not a little, but a lot.

In 1962, in the Journal of Geophysical Research D.B. Muldrew and R.G. Maliphant contributed an article titled: "Long-Distance One-Hop Ionospheric Radio-Wave Propagation". They found that in temperate regions such a hop might be 7500 km and in equatorial regions even 10,000 km.

I'm mentioning this because this was based on observations and measurements.

They used frequency sweeps from 2 to 49 MHz though they called them Mega Cycles, using 100 kHz per second, that is, over the duration of a second, the frequency changed by 100 kHz, so each sweep took nearly 8 minutes using only 15 kilowatts, so substantial gear, not to mention expense and availability.

Oh, computers, yes, they used those too. A three tonne behemoth called an IBM 650, mind you, that's only the base unit, consisting of a card reader, power supply and a console holding a magnetic drum unit.

You know I'm going somewhere with this right?

Today, you can do the same measurements with a $5 computer and a $20 receiver. For a transmitter, any HF capable radio will do the trick, though you might not be transmitting long if you stray outside the amateur bands. For power, 5 Watts is plenty to get the job done.

My point is that there is a debate around the future of our hobby and why modes like FT8 are such a controversial topic in some communities.

I'm here to point out that since that publication in 1962 our hobby has made some progress and we can improve on the work done by people who came before us. We could build a glob-spanning real-time propagation visualisation tool, we already have the data and modes like FT8 keep feeding in more.

If you're inclined, you could even make such a plot in real-time for your own station.

So, how long is a hop?

You'll just have to find out.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB

TV show looks at disappearance of radio ham

On Monday, March 1, at 9pm AEDT (1000 GMT) the Channel 9 TV show Under Investigation covers the unexplained disappearance of both radio amateur Russell Hill VK3VZP and a friend missing since March 20, 2020

Russell was camping in the remote Wonnangatta Valley and his last amateur radio contact was with Rob Ashlin VK3BEZ at 6pm on March 20, he has not been heard from since.

On March 21 the campsite was found with the tent burned to the ground and Mr Hill's Toyota Land Cruiser sitting next to it.

Information on the show is at
https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/missing-victorian-campers-carol-clay-and-russell-hill-third-party-likely-involved-in-pairs-disappearance-from-wonnangatta-valley/a7c69f5d-b183-443b
-889a-d13e43a41314

 

ARRL Interview Explains Background of Ham Radio in Space Film Short

YOU HAVE TO BE SHITTING ME...

It's time we discussed height privilege and how it disproportionately affects transgender, people of color and fuels rape culture. You see, although there are no physical or biological differences between men and women, because sex and gender are just social constructs pushed by the patriarchy, men are generally taller than women, so when a man is very tall, the proximity of his penis is closer to the mouth of nearby shorter women. Women are then forced to "speak into the mic", every time they say something, and if they are educating a straight male by yelling at him, the mouth is open even wider which risks exposure to bodily fluids such as semen or perhaps even urine if they're from Sweden or Germany. In fact women speaking to such tall men simulates oral sex in a variety of ways, but NONE of them are consensual. We feminists call this P.I.F.S or "Penis in Face Syndrome". At a recent feminist conference, women were finally given equality, and height privilege removed by use of platform shoes, which we are currently lobbying to have made mandatory on college campus. We are also intending to push thin privilege in future and force fit people to walk around campus wearing heavy weighted bags, so they know just how difficult it is for cellulite-diverse people.

THURSDAY EDITION: How to use tall skinny trees for an antenna....Fighter pilots pass out but software saves them....A kit to inject an RFID chip, but why?...Apple to pair up with KIA and produce a car by 2024?....

CAN YOU GET THE COVID SHOT IN YOUR ASS?

Could you get the benefits of a COVID vaccine by having it injected into your butt instead of your arm, if for some reason you wanted to do that and were capable of finding a medical professional who would do it?

Let’s get straight to the point here: Yes. The COVID vaccine would still work if you had it injected in your butt. But for most people—not all people, but most people—this would be an anti-social thing to do, and for more than the obvious reason.

A posterior injection would work, as Dr. Robert Amler explains, because the available COVID vaccines are “intramuscular.” (Amler is the dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice at New York Medical College and a former chief medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) They will function wherever there’s enough muscle tissue to absorb them. (The Pfizer vaccine dose is 0.3 milliliters of liquid; the Moderna dose is 0.5 milliliters.) “From that tissue, the body and, basically, the bloodstream gradually passes it around,” Amler says. “As it passes around, the immune system detects it and says hey, there’s something here from someplace else.”

Fry's Electronics shutting down all stores, ending 36 years as a big-box stop for tech enthusiasts

Fry’s Electronic’s, the big-box chain that was a longtime, one-stop shop for tech enthusiasts, is shutting down after 36 years in business. The company cited “changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Fry’s made the announcement in a statement on its website early Wednesday, where all other content had disappeared. But the writing had been on the wall for at least two years as empty store shelves began to signal that the San Jose, Calif.,-based company was in trouble.

Fry’s operated 31 stores across nine states, including one in Renton, south of Seattle — the only Washington location. GeekWire visited that store in October 2019 as internet reports began to circulate that the chain may be struggling in the age of Amazon and increased online shopping.

The 152,000-square-foot Renton store was a sea of empty shelves at the time, with very few employees — or customers — wandering departments ranging from personal computers to televisions to office furniture. But a spokesman for Fry’s told GeekWire back then that Fry’s was “gearing up for the holiday season” and that it was planning to restock over the next several weeks with no plans to liquidate or close any stores.

Holding an extension cable to power a CPU in a computer he was fixing, customer Jordan Jones told GeekWire in 2019 that Fry’s was “the last bastion of hardware shopping.”

He said then that empty shelves were a scary sign for brick-and-mortar retail in general. “They used to have all these computer boxes stacked,” he said, waving his arm from floor to ceiling at scattered boxes on shelves nearby.

Founded in 1985 in Sunnyvale, Calif., Fry’s had been an electronics institution for decades, once boasting on its website that it catered to the high-tech professional and sold more than 50,000 electronic items in its stores.

As rumors of the shut-down began circulating on Twitter Tuesday night, some shoppers shared their appreciation for the chain’s adherence to a bizarre “theme” approach to each store’s decor. While the Renton store focused on regional history, others had elaborate displays tied to Egyptian history, Atlantis, the Wild West, the Gold Rush and more.
https://www.geekwire.com/2021/frys-electronics-shutting-stores-ending-36-years-big-box-stop-tech-enthusiasts/

Cherokee Challenge Flight - London to Sydney the slow way

Join us on this amazing adventure of a lifetime. Two chaps, a light aircraft and an HF radio piloting their way from Blighty to Oz, the slow way! Andy Hardy G1AJH (ex VK2CHA). Their flight supported Oxfam in the fight against poverty: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/​

(Presentation given to Bury Radio Society and Warrington Amateur Radio Club)

https://www.facebook.com/CherokeeChallengeFlight/

"Whirlwind Boom" Emergency Communications Exercise Set in Northern Florida

Affected Residents in Texas

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Connecting a modern radio to a legacy amplifier.....Why am I not surprised that dogs in Russia are turning pink and blue?.....There is no shortage of dumbass people...While planting a tree, homeowners find a bunch of of firearms buried....

CAN YOU HELP US?- My local repeater hosts a 6pm net on M-W-F on 145.130 in Gloucester, MA and we have had 97 different check-ins this year, could you check in and say hi via Echolink- W1GLO so we can break the 100 check-in number. We have topics to discuss and it is a great bunch of low key hams....please drop by! Topics posted on the site. Regular check-ins include ham from England, Canada, and states all over the US.

Is it Time for Ham Radio to acknowledge the Hacker Community?

The concept of Ham Radio originated over a hundred years ago, and as of today, it is not in an ideal position. You may have already heard people talk about how ham radio is dying, and even though there is a lot of truth to that, there are still things that can be done to save this community.

People who ruled amateur radio have gotten old, and now the young blood needs to step up to keep the tradition going. The good news is that in the past couple of years many amateur licenses have been issued and it is being revived slowly. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for Ham radios has also increased. Many specialized online shops are currently offering CB radios for sale under leading brands in the industry.  STORY

Capstan winch central to this all-band adjustable dipole antenna

The perfect antenna is the holy grail of amateur radio. But antenna tuning is a game of inches, and since the optimum length of an antenna depends on the frequency it’s used on, the mere act of spinning the dial means that every antenna design is a compromise. Or perhaps not, if you build this infinitely adjustable capstan-winch dipole antenna.

Dipoles are generally built to resonate around the center frequency of one band, and with allocations ranging almost from “DC to daylight”, hams often end up with a forest of dipoles. [AD0MZ]’s adjustable dipole solves that problem, making the antenna usable from the 80-meter band down to 10 meters. To accomplish this feat it uses something familiar to any sailor: a capstan winch.

The feedpoint of the antenna contains a pair of 3D-printed drums, each wound with a loop of tinned 18-gauge antenna wire attached to some Dacron cord. These make up the adjustable-length elements of the antenna, which are strung through pulleys suspended in trees about 40 meters apart. Inside the feedpoint enclosure are brushes from an electric drill to connect the elements to a 1:1 balun and a stepper motor to run the winch. As the wire pays out of one spool, the Dacron cord is taken up by the other; the same thing happens on the other side of the antenna, resulting in a balanced configuration.

We think this is a really clever design that should make many a ham happy across the bands. We even see how this could be adapted to other antenna configurations, like the end-fed halfwave we recently featured in our “$50 Ham” series.

https://hackaday.com/2021/02/23/capstan-winch-central-to-this-all-band-adjustable-dipole-antenna/

Youth on the Air will Make Final Decision on Summer Camp in April

TUESDAY EDITION: The Cherokee tribe has requested discussions with the Jeep Corporation about the damage the Jeep Cherokee model is doing to their ego...they want it changed to something else, when will this politically correct bullshit end?....Today's Dumbass from where? Florida of course...Solar earth storm video....

Elon Musk: SpaceX will double Starlink's satellite internet speeds in 2021

CNET report that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter Monday that his company's satellite internet service, Starlink, will offer speeds close to 300 Mbps later in 2021. That's roughly twice as fast as currently advertised, and would represent a significant step forward for the service as it seeks to deliver high-speed internet to underserved regions across the globe.

Musk adds that the growing network of satellites should offer complete global coverage "by next year."

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter Monday that his company's satellite internet service, Starlink, will offer speeds close to 300 Mbps later in 2021. That's roughly twice as fast as currently advertised, and would represent a significant step forward for the service as it seeks to deliver high-speed internet to underserved regions across the globe.

The tweet came in reply to a customer posting their at-home speed test results with a newly installed Starlink connection.

Latency, a measure of how long it takes your internet signal to travel to space and back, will also drop to around 20ms this year, Musk added. That would be a validation of the company's strategy of launching its satellites into low-Earth orbit, which reduces the distance that those signals need to travel. That strategy has also raised red flags with astronomers worried about obstructions to night sky visibility, which is something SpaceX has been working to address with updates to its satellite design.

Musk went on to reply to another user who asked for a coverage map, telling them that Starlink will cover "most of Earth by end of year, all by next year." From there, Musk said, it's all about "densifying coverage," though he noted that the satellite internet coverage is best suited for regions with low to medium population density.

Read the full CNET article
https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-spacex-will-double-starlinks-satellite-internet-speeds-in-2021/

UKEICC CW Contest

Any valid QSO with these stations will score a flat ten points regardless of distance. This will somewhat counterbalance the distance-related scores enjoyed by stations well away from the EI/G centre of activity and hopefully make it more interesting for modest stations that are based in EI/G and further afield.

Joe EI7GY will be operating EI5G for this contest and he will be certainly be running some pileups. The big event for SSB Top Band operators is on next weekend when the CQ Worldwide SSB 160m contest kicks off at 2200 on Friday night and runs until 2200 on Sunday night. North American stations will give report plus state or province while all others will give report and CQ Zone.The UKEICC monthly one hour 80m CW Contest will be held on Wednesday next the 24th at 2000. EI5G and, for this contest at least, GM7V will be bonus stations. Any valid QSO with these stations will score a flat ten points regardless of distance. This will somewhat counterbalance the distance-related scores enjoyed by stations well away from the EI/G centre of activity and hopefully make it more interesting for modest stations that are based in EI/G and further afield.

Joe EI7GY will be operating EI5G for this contest and he will be certainly be running some pileups.

The big event for SSB Top Band operators is on next weekend when the CQ Worldwide SSB 160m contest kicks off at 2200 on Friday night and runs until 2200 on Sunday night. North American stations will give report plus state or province while all others will give report and CQ Zone.

Amateur Radio Operators Help Fill Earthquake Donut Holes

Ham radio networks gear up to provide real-time, on-the-ground information about earthquake shaking and damage when other communication pathways are knocked out of commission.  STORY

MONDAY EDITION: Sid sends along a link, interesting....Damn scary flight of the 777 with engine problems, a Pratt and Whitney engine...Freeze a Yankee story.....Panadapter for any radio....

QSO Today with Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR from FlexRadio Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, is the founder and CEO of FlexRadio that is now on the cutting edge of building advanced software defined radio (SDR) platforms for amateur radio, as well as for government, business, and the military. Gerald is a leader and pioneer in the development of SDR leading to the founding of FlexRadio. This episode is a newly minted version of the original interview that I had with K5SDR in 2015. https://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/k5sdr Dummy Load made with (salt?) water, how does this work??? CME to sideswipe Earth this week Over the weekend, a dark filament of magnetism on the sun blew up, hurling a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. NOAA computer models confirm that the CME should sideswipe Earth on Feb. 23rd or 24th. The glancing blow could cause minor G1-class geomagnetic storms and high-latitude auroras. Full story @ Spaceweather.com.

One Megawatt of Peak AM Power - Saving the Voice of America Delano Relay DL-8 In 2007, the Voice of America ceased operations at the Delano Relay site in Central California. The site is destined to be bulldozed along with several relics of Collins Radio Company's Broadcast Communications Division. The Collins Collectors Association, with assistance from the Antique Wireless Association, hatched a plan to retrieve one of the Collins 821A-1 250 KW Shortwave Transmitters from the site and place it on display for all to see. This presentation gives some history of VoA and the Delano site and follows the disassembly and relocation of Delano Relay DL-8. Dennis Kidder, W6DQ, is a retired Aerospace Engineer, having spent nearly 45 years in System Engineering. His career spanned many fields - from building and operating large scale sound systems, computer systems used to publish newspapers and control communications satellites, 4 years as the Chief Telecom Engineer during the construction of the New Hong Kong International Airport, and finally, air defense radar systems and networked radio communications systems used by the military. First licensed as WN6NIA then WA6NIA over 50 years ago, Dennis was granted the callsign of one of his High School Elmers, Chek Titcomb (SK), W6DQ. Amateur Radio has been a nearly life-long passion. If you enjoyed this video, consider becoming a member of the Antique Wireless Association at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrSrdArng10&feature=emb_logo Curacao Operators Dan/N1ZZ, Don/AF4Z, Walter/WB5ZGA and Vince/K4JC, will be active as PJ2T from Curacao (SA-099, WLOTA 0942) in the ARRL DX SSB Contest (March 6-7th) as a Multi/? entry. QSL PJ2T via W3HNK. Operators will be on the island between March 1-5th, and will be active as PJ2/homecall on 160-10 meters using CW, SSB, CW and possibly FT8. QSL PJ2/homecalls via their homecalls.